Tag Archives: charters

Education

Oklahoma’s Poor Need Much More than Charters Can Give

charter school oklahoma city
What was once Harding High School in Okla. City Public Schools is now Harding Charter Preparatory High School, authorized by the district.| Photo by Brett Dickerson

There has been a surge of anti-public-education talk in the past several weeks. Why?

Legislation to allow the governments of Tulsa and Oklahoma City to establish their own charter schools has come back to life as an amendment to another bill in the Oklahoma Legislature.

And the bill’s promoters want to make their case that the two biggest urban districts in the state are horrible, dystopic places that deserve abandonment instead of support and renewal. Continue reading Oklahoma’s Poor Need Much More than Charters Can Give →

Education

Investors Resist Idea of Society as Stakeholder in Public Education

school, charter, district, new orleans, investors,
An Algebra II class at New Orleans’ Sci Academy in October 2010. The school has been a part of the Recovery School District, the first all-charter district in the nation. Credit: John McCusker, The Times-Picayune

Parents are key stakeholders in any child’s education. Does that mean that they are the only stakeholders? One upon a time in America most people would say “no”. They would say that it’s all of society. But not anymore. Investors are what has changed that equation. Continue reading Investors Resist Idea of Society as Stakeholder in Public Education →

Education

Training Our Way to a New Oligarchy? Not Yet!

students protest
Students in Jefferson County, Colo protest forced changes in U.S. History standards by local school board. Credit: RJ Sangosti/The Denver Post via Getty Images

In Texas and now in Colorado conservatives on the far right have been in a panic about history students actually learning history. Whether being earnest in their own beliefs or being duped by corporate propaganda efforts, these conservatives want desperately to put a lid on history study at the high school level that might explore all of American history.

Continue reading Training Our Way to a New Oligarchy? Not Yet! →

Education

High School Student Protests Create Headaches for Some, Hope for Others

student protests in newark
Students protest the corporate charter takeover of Newark Public Schools. Credit: BobBraunsLedger.com . Bob Braun is a long-time journalist in Newark and is following these protests closely on his independent blog.

Recent spontaneous and unprecedented high school student protest movements are causing a growing panic among the wealthy investor class who want to convert much of American education from public, democratic control to corporate investor control for their profits. It is showing that high school students are finding their own voice distinct from just joining in with adult protests.

Continue reading High School Student Protests Create Headaches for Some, Hope for Others →

Education

Charter Schools to Be Defining Issue of Okla State Superintendent Race

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Democrats had two unusually good choices in this runoff race for the State Superintendent nomination between two long-time, dedicated education leaders: Freda Deskin and John Cox, the winner.

Now it is a race between John Cox and Joy Hofmeister. Both have a long track record of personal integrity. Both have a long track record of dedication to educational leadership and compassion for children. Both are highly personable, winsome, likeable people who understand the motivations of teachers and administrators.

Check.

Unless Hofmeister shifts positions, what will distinguish these two candidates will be their stance on “reform” as ALEC defines it, which means corporate charter schools and management corporations profiting at taxpayer expense.

Continue reading Charter Schools to Be Defining Issue of Okla State Superintendent Race →

Education

Competition — Big Businesses Want It For Public Schools While They Hate It for Themselves!

“Vote to let us destroy publicly owned schools (that allow access to all) so that we can skim profits from educating only the most well-adjusted students at taxpayer expense.”

How do you think that would go over? It wouldn’t. That’s why we hear a much more subtle, carefully staged argument.

Continue reading Competition — Big Businesses Want It For Public Schools While They Hate It for Themselves! →

Education

Radical Charter School Bill Defeated in Oklahoma House

Senate Bill 573 that would have made radical changes to the process of establishing charter schools under an appointed state-wide commission was defeated this evening. Nearly all Democrats and an increasing number of Republicans ended up being against the bill.

Two earlier posts in this blog, one from April 10th and another on the 14th, warned of the dangers with SB 573 that was indistinguishable from model legislation created by a national organization created to promote wide-open charter creation in all states.

More and more teachers, legislators, and parents, started to realize that the charter school bill, drafted and lobbied from outside of the state, had nothing to do with what was best for kids in Oklahoma, and everything to do with potential profits of for-profit corporations based outside of the state. Governor Mary Fallin continued to strongly promote the bill to the end.

Skepticism has grown recently even among those on the political right about State Superintendent Janet Barresi and her installing of top-level staffers from outside of the state who have a history of moving from one state to another to promote the agenda of for-profit education corporations.